VETERANS BILLS ADVANCE TO FULL ASSEMBLY FOR VOTE

Sacramento 
Two bills related to veterans carried by Oceanside Assemblyman Rocky Chávez are on their way to the full floor for votes.

Assembly Bill 614 would make sure that hardship is considered when the state reviews applications for admission to a veterans retirement home, such as the one in Chula Vista.

Assembly Bill 258 would modify the wording on a statewide questionnaire so that agencies can more readily reach out to veterans, especially women. The Veterans Affairs Committee unanimously passed both bills Tuesday.

Chávez, a Republican, said the hardship change was needed because current law does not require the Department of Veterans Affairs to take into account the financial plight of applicants when determining admission to a home.

Assemblywoman Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, is a co-author of the housing bill.

The other measure carried by Chávez, a retired Marine colonel, would change the wording of a question asked by a number of state agencies looking to extend outreach to veterans about their benefits.

The current wording is: “Are you a veteran?” The problem is many veterans do not think of themselves as veterans unless they served in combat. By answering no, they can miss notifications about important benefits, Chávez said.